Plastic slide bearing for cribs having drop sides



Nov. 18, 1958 F. A. MILLER 2,860,350

PLASTIC SLIDE BEARING FOR CRIBS HVING DROP SIDES Filed April l, 1957II-II`\ l u-xi 6fm] 1 III' *m I I I I IIII III: II|| I I's Il, III II IIIll I II I M I /6+ IV/a ll Il I i y Il l It I| /0 II I II III I' I IIIIl II| I I' Ii I II I I l I| II| III I|| III] III II' I1 II'| I II I||II' w l Ik il ll lI A 20 A` l I 24 VIXI I 2 2a l i l INVENToR. FRANCISA. MILLER ATTORNEY United States Patent O PLASTICSLIDE BEARING FOR CRIBSHAVING DROP'SID'ES Francis A..Miller`s Leominster, Mass., assigner toJoseph P. Miller zCo., Inc., Leominster, lMass., a corporation `ofMassachusetts vApplication April -1, 41957,-Serial No. 649,800

2 Claims. (CLS-100) This invention relates to a new and improved plasticslide bearing for the drop sides of cribs, and the principal object ofthe invention resides in the provision of means preventing squeaking ofthe drop side as it runs on the usual drop rods and the prevention ofrattling and even of shaking of the drop side with relation to the droprods of the crib when agitated by the occupant.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of a moldedplastic polyethylene slide bearing adapted to be inserted in theapertures in the top and bottom rails of the drop side of the crib forslidably receiving the drop rods, for quick, easy and silent sliding ofthe drop side on the drop rods; and the provision of a slide bearing asabove stated which s generally cylindrical in form but tapering fromend-to-end thereof and providing a certain slight pivotal freedom ofmotion of the drop rod but at the same time preventing any rattling,squeaking or other unwanted noises usually associated with the elevationand lowering of the conventional drop side for a crib.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa view in front elevation illustrating the drop side of a crib;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, illustrating the novelslide bearing in position with respect to the top and bottom rails ofthe drop side;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the bearing; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof, looking in the direction of arrow4 in Fig. 3.

Cribs having drop sides are well known in the art and in Fig. 1 there isillustrated a corner post 10 and a second corner post 12 each having adrop rod 14 and 16 respectively secured thereto in the usual manner,said drop rods extending through apertures in the top rail 18 and bottomrail 20 of the drop side. Not shown but well known in the art arevarious latching devices for holding the drop side in its uppermostposition as in Fig. l and in its down position the lower rail 20 restson brackets 22 or on springs 24 mounted thereon in the usual manner.

It is well known in the art that an infant in a crib naturally graspsthe top rail 18 and just as naturally vigorously shakes the same,causing a great deal of rattling and shaking of the entire crib andcausing vibration which tends to loosen the parts of the crib; and it isalso well known that when the drop sides are raised and lowered, a greatdeal of unwanted squeaking is ordinarily the result by reason of contactof the sides of the apertures in the top and the bottom rails withrespect to the drop rods.

This invention provides a new and improved molded polyethylene slidebearing which is adapted to be inserted and substantially permanentlyheld in the apertures in the rails, this slide bearing doing away withsqueaking, rattling and most of the shaking and vibration of the cribcaused by the occupant.

lCe

Vless deformable under v,pressure without `breaking and `has averyfimportant.characteristiciof surface slipperiness.

The molded surface of these bearings can beisaid to be like wax but inany event `they `provide permanent `.extremely good slide surfaces withlittle friction duefto their waxy, slippery surface. The bearings yareindicated :gen-

erally .at .A.

In actual construction, thebearings aregenerally cylindrical in form andare openatvbothrends. However, .the bearings taper from awider end 2 6toa narrower end'ZS, and this not only allows easy molding thereof, butalso provides for an exterior tapered surface 30 which is used tosubstantially permanently wedge the bearing into the respective drilledhole or aperture in the rails of the drop side.

The interior of the slide bearing is tapered. in the opposite directionas at 32 and at the interior of the larger end 26 there is preferablyformed a slight constriction 34. If desired, a small rim 36 may beutilized to act as a stop for insertion of the bearing into therespective apertures, and the usual plastic rail cover will be disposedover the same on the top rail.

As shown in Fig. 2, the 'drop rod 14 is engaged by the constriction of34 and the degree of this engagement of course depends upon the relativediameter of the drop rod and the constriction at 34; but in any eventthe slide bearings actually lightly grip the drop rod at this point andthus prevent any directly lateral motion. This means that there is norattling possible because of the fact that the bearing is relativelytightly engaged with the top rod even though it still allows quick andeasy sliding motion.

In the manufacture of the drop sides, it often happens that theapertures in the top and bottom rails are slightly misaligned, or mayeven be at slight angles with respect to each other. Without the novelbearing, this often results in binding the drop side and certainly inresistance to easy sliding motion of the drop side on the rods. It alsoresults in squeaking and eventual wear and loosening of the parts,resulting in unwanted noise and additional vibration of the entire crib.

By providing the interior tapering surfaces 32, it will be seen that therespective drop rods may pivot slightly about the area of constriction34, so that the drop rods will be much better aligned with the bearingsthan without them and no impediment to sliding motion of the drop sideis found with the novel bearings utilized.

It will be seen that this invention provides a good, tight, but stilleasily slidable bearing for the drop rods and it has been found thatthese bearings are extremely long lived and prevent squeaking, rattlingand most of the shaking or vibration heretofore caused by the occupantof the crib. The waxy slippery surface of the polyethylene is extremelylong-lasting and in fact lasts as long as the bearing itself, so thatthe sliding action of the dropv side is always easy and substantiallynoiseless.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A slide bearing for receiving the drop rod of a crib having a dropside comprising a generally cylindrical, end-to-end gently taperedmolded plastic body having an internal constriction at one end thereofto slidingly engage the drop rod and provide substantially silentoperation of the drop side, said plastic being polyethylene having awaxy, slippery surface for slidably engaging the drop rod in asubstantially frictionless manner, the bearing tapering both inside andout for wedging reception in a cylindrical aperture for holding thebearing.

2. A crib comprising a drop side including connected top and Ybottomrails, said rails being apertured there -through adjacent the endsthereof, said apertures being cylindrical, drop rods secured` to partsof the crib and lreecived in the apertures, each drop rod passing inetect through a pair of spaced apertures, one in each rail, the droprods having a diameter less than that of the apertures, a generallycylindrical plastic gradually tapered slide bearing located and held ineach aperture and slidably engaging the respective drop rod at allpositions 4thereof while allowing a certain amount of lateral twist'between the drop rod and the rails, the bearings being tapered insideand out and being non-cementitiously wedged in the respectivecylindrical apertures, each bearing having a length approximately equalto the length of the respective aperture and an external flange on eachr4 v bearing to stop the same in fixed position relative to therespective rail, and an internal constriction at one end of each bearingto slidingly engage the drop rod and provide substantially silentoperation of the drop side.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSAustralia ....Aprl 27, 1939

